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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26219815">The Cove</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ads1008/pseuds/ads1008'>ads1008</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Friends to Lovers, Howard is abusive, Losing eachother, M/M, Mutual Pinning, drunken father</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:54:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26219815</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ads1008/pseuds/ads1008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Howard is a jerk but at least Tony has Steve. One night after an altercation with Howard Tony never spoke to Steve again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Cove</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I hope yall enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony laid in his room staring up at the ceiling. His eyes still stung after crying for a couple of hours but now he just felt numb. Or maybe it was more restlessness either way all he knew was he couldn’t be in this house anymore. He couldn’t be around his father and his sharp tongue. That what prompts the crying. Tony was in the wrong place at the wrong time. </p><p>He sat in the kitchen minding his own business trying to finish a few final assignments before graduation. It was quiet for once in the house but that didn’t last. His father slammed open the front door sending a banging sound through the halls. Great, Tony thought, just don’t say anything and maybe he won’t either. That sure was wishful thinking. </p><p>“Why are you in the kitchen? Where’s your mother?” Tony now could tell just how drunk Howard was. If it wasn’t the bloodshot eyes and the rumpled clothes, it defiantly the strong scent rolling off of his father like cologne. </p><p>“I don’t know.” Tony closed his eyes knowing that wasn’t the answer Howard was looking for. Strike one. He slammed a hand right next to him making Tony jump back. He got close to his face. Tony gritted his teeth and tried slowing his breath. He wasn’t scared of his father. Not anymore. He knew that he could leave and never look back. Tony only stayed for his mother but sometimes he questioned why. She was an adult and chose to stay. He knew it was wrong for him to think like this. <br/>“Liar. Just a useless piece of shit. I can’t wait till you’re gone.” Howard spat. </p><p>“Yeah, well I can’t wait to not be here either.” Howard's eyes went dark. Strike two of the wrong thing to say. Howard straighten up and grabbed Tony by the collar and pulled him in close. </p><p>“You ungrateful brat. Do I need to teach you a lesson about talking back?” Howard pushed him back away making Tony stumble into the table resulting in his hip to collide into the corner. He knew in the morning a bruise will form just to add with the others. </p><p>“Lay your hands on me and we will see who learned something.” Strike three. Howard took his fist and tried to hit Tony but missed since he was so intoxicated. Tony just barely touched him, and he went swaying and he was down on the ground. Tony leaned down close to his ear. “Think twice because next time I won’t go easy on you, old man.” </p><p>Tony sat up on the bed and knew it was time to go. He picked up his phone and knew exactly who to call.</p><p>“Tony, it’s one am on a school night.” Steve was fast asleep after working a long shift at the diner across the street. He wished he were still asleep, but no Tony was scheming something that would most likely get one of them in trouble. </p><p>“Come on, Steve. I know you were an old man, but I didn’t realize you were eighty. We could go to our spot by the cove. Eat a whole thing of ice cream, butter pecan, and just look at the stars.” Steve knew deep down that the reason Tony was trying to go to their spot was that something happened at home. He didn’t dare ask until Tony was ready to tell him. Sometimes he would get his answer to his non asked questions and other nights it was never brought up. </p><p>“Fine but you’re driving. I will be ready in ten. Also, don’t forget to bring a sweatshirt because you keep taking mine and I can’t afford to but new ones.” Tony rolled his eyes. </p><p>“I will buy you more for Christmas. What about an MIT one?” </p><p>The cove was their spot since they were small children. They met by accident one summer there when both of their families decided to visit at the same time. If it was for that blimp they may have never met. Steve and Tony came from opposite worlds. Tony from a rich family that went to private schools and dressed to the nines. Steve from a struggling single-parent household. All of his clothes were either thrifted or handy downs. Both of the boys knew that each one of them wanted something the other had but Steve knew Tony did a little bit more. </p><p>After that moment, the boys were irreparable. When they were young, they would write letters back and forth dreaming about the day where they would see each other again at the cove. When they got older Tony figured out how to get to Steve’s house through Jarvis. Jarvis was happy to learn Tony had a friend his own age. Once they hit their teen years, they spent every weekend at the cove. They both knew it wasn’t normal. They should have been at parties or sports events with their schoolmates, but they found comfort in each other. Steve and Tony only needed one another. It was them against the world. </p><p>They sat in silence with only the radio playing. Each taking turns eating a scoop of ice cream. </p><p>“Steve, what happens to us when we die?” Steve shrugged. He was raised Catholic and some of the stuff they preach he didn’t agree with. He stared at the stars thinking that each one must be a million years old. He also remembered the night his father died. He ran out of the house screaming, falling to his knees in the grass begging the world to bring his dad back. At the moment he asked he looked up and there was a shooting star. </p><p>“We turn into stars.” Tony looked and watched as each one twinkled at a different time. He just nodded his head in agreement. It was comforting to think that one day, even if both of them were gone, Steve would still be right next to him. Sparkling like he always did.</p><p>“You know things will change in August.” Steve put down his spoon and turned to look at Tony. Tony just stared forward with a blank look on his face. Steve was worried about him. What happened tonight? </p><p>“What do you mean?” Tony still didn’t turn his head. </p><p>“I will be in Massachusetts and you will still be here. We will be both be to busy to see each other and the phone calls will get less frequent and then the texts will just stop. We will forget about each other and move on with our lives. You will go on and do wonderful things in architecture and I will most likely be running the family business.” A tear escaped down Tony’s cheek. Steve lifted his hand and wiped it away with his thumb. </p><p>“Tony, nothing will change between us.” Tony turned his head and saw his safe place, Steve’s blue eyes. Tony scrunched up his face not to cry. </p><p>“But how do you know that Steven?” Steven, Steve thought. Tony never called him that unless something was really wrong. </p><p>“Because you are my person and I love you.” Tony leaned onto Steve’s shoulder and closed his eyes. </p><p>“You’re my person too. I love you.” That was the last time they talked to each other. Tony’s fears came true and neither of them knew how it was possible. </p><p>Tony watched as they lowered the casket into the ground not caring at all. His mother was clinging on his arm crying. He couldn’t know if it was out of sadness or out of relief of finally being free. </p><p>“He loved you, Anthony. He just had a weird way of showing it.” Tony patted her arm out of comfort not believing a word. </p><p>“Sure mom.” </p><p>Steve sat in his office finishing up a blueprint for a new mansion to be built in Martha Vineyards when his secretary came in and dropped a newspaper on his desk. The headline read the merchant of death, Howard Stark, was laid to rest. The nation will miss such a brilliant mind. Steve laid the paper down and picked up the only photograph he had on his desk. It was him with a young brunette. They were only thirteen and was trying to flex for the camera even though neither of them had a single muscle. Steve chuckled and laid down the picture. He grabbed his jacket and left the office knowing actually where he needed to go. </p><p>Steve pulled into the cove to see the same brunette he missed for so many years. He turned around when he heard Steve’s truck engine. Steve smiled. His Tony was back after years of being gone. Steve got out of the truck and stood at the front of it giving Tony a smirk. Like a come and get me smile. </p><p>“Hi. How did I know you would be here?” Tony ran straight to Steve wrapping his arms tight around him. Tears stained Steve’s shirt. He never knew this moment would happen and here it was after the day he had. Tony pulled back and stared at Steve not believing it was him. He wasn’t his Steve but when he squinted, he could still see the boy he left at the cove.</p><p>“He’s finally gone. He can’t hurt me anymore, Steve.” Steve rubbed a hand down his back just like he used to do. </p><p>“I know, Tony.” Steve shook with a wave of emotions coming over him. All he ever wanted to do was to protect Tony, but Tony wouldn’t let him, and he respected that. It just hurt knowing that the only way Tony was going to be okay was for that monster to die.</p><p>The two men sat in the sand together tangled up in each other’s arms never wanting to let go. </p><p>“I really missed you.” </p><p>“I did too. What happened after we talked that night Tony?” Howard happened. Once he woke up from his drunken coma, he let Tony have it in not just places where people couldn’t see the marks but also visible ones. As Tony cleaned the wounds that had broke skin clean, Howard was planning for him to be shipped off. He didn’t have a twenty-four-hour notice and he knew if he called Steve and told him what happened he would have found a way to rescue him. Tony couldn’t let Steve see the bruises, so Tony went off to MIT early destined to never see Steve again. He knew he was doing the right thing even if it hurt more then the punches. </p><p>Steve just stared at Tony with no expression, but he did pull him in tighter. Tony was right Steve would have sacrificed everything for Tony and he would still do it today because he loved him. Steve lightly kissed Tony’s lips which surprised Tony. He wanted to do this for years, but Tony didn’t want to ruin his friendship with Steve. Tony deepen the kissed feeling relief for the first time in his life. </p><p>Steve pulled backbiting his lip. His cheeks were all red and Tony found it really cute. They both stared at each other and busted out laughing. </p><p>“Why are we laughing?” </p><p>“Because both of us wanted to do that for many years. I knew I did ever since we were fifteen.” </p><p>Tony shivered as the wind cut through his dress shirt. Steve noticed and wrapped his jacket around Tony with a smile. “I told you to always bring a jacket. I can’t afford to lose my favorite one.” Tony pulled the jacket tighter to his body knowing he was never going to give it back. </p><p>“I will buy you more because I’m keeping this one forever.” Steve kissed Tony one more time and the two lovers watched as the sun went down over the sea knowing this time they wouldn’t lose each other again.</p>
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